BI-102 Learning Objectives – Chapter 9: Cell to Cell Communications
Fall '08
1.
Be able to name 2 types of environmental factors that cells can react to.
2.
Be able to explain why cell to cell communication is so important to multi-cellular organisms.
3.
Be able to name or describe 3 of the 4 types of cell signaling.
4.
Be able to name and describe the sequence of elements involved in cellular responses to signals (see the General Signaling Mechanism slide).
5.
Know that receptors are generally specific.
6.
Be able to give a reason why many signal transduction pathways are relatively complex.
7.
Be able to compare gene regulators to enzyme activators/deactivators in terms of typical response times.
8.
Know that different cells can respond differently to the same signal and be able to explain how this is possible.
9.
Be able to explain the specific action of protein kinases and their typical role in cell signaling.
10.
Be able to describe the general type of molecules (polar or non-polar, hydrophilic or hydrophobic) that typically interact with intracellular receptors .
11.
Be able to describe the general type of molecules (polar or non-polar, hydrophilic or hydrophobic) that typically interact with cell surface receptors .
12.
Be able to name or briefly describe the 3 classes of cell surface receptors.
13.
Be able to explain the purpose and mechanism of enzyme cascades (including kinase cascades).
14.
Be able to state to what molecules G proteins must be bound in order to be in their active and inactive states.
15.
Be able to explain what second messengers are and name a common second messenger.
16.
Be able to name 2 general types of molecules that act as cell identity markers.

17.
Be able to state what the abbreviation MHC stands for and briefly explain the basic function of MHC markers.
18.
Be able to briefly describe the structure and functions of tight junctions .
19.
Be able to briefly describe the structure and functions of anchoring junctions .
20.
Be able to briefly describe the structure and functions of communicating junctions .